...Commissions
Three Executive Boats, Four Jet Skis
...We‘ll
Explore Tourism, Economic Potential Of Waterways, Says
Ambode
Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday commissioned
three newly acquired executive boats by the State Government, with a pledge to
fully explore the tourism and economic potentials of the waterways in the State
for the overall benefit of the people.
Speaking at the unveiling of the boats held at Caverton Jetty in
Civic Centre area of Victoria Island, the Governor said the State Government
was committed to the implementation of the integrated transport management
system designed to scale up water, rail and land transportation, saying that
the grand plan is to divert at least two million passengers on the waterways
daily thereby reducing traffic on the road.
He said the boats and four Jet Skis recently acquired by the
State Government to ensure safety and fight crime on the waterways were prelude
to major plans to fully activate the potentials of water transportation, while
in coming months, the State Government would take delivery of additional seven
commercial ferries, among other plans for the sector.
According to him, “This is a significant day for Lagos State as
we commission three boats belonging to the Lagos State Government. We
discovered that sometimes, we do not have the ability for our officials to go
on the waterways to address issues relating to people and citizens that live
alongside the waterways.
“As you aware, twenty-five per cent of Lagos is water and it is
important that we put in the right initiatives that can actually make
activities on our waterways to thrive and the also people living along the
waterways to bring them into proper perspective.
“Sometimes when dignitaries come from other States or countries,
they are not able to see the true side of Lagos from waterways perspective and
that is one of the reasons the State Government decided that we would procure
the boats that would help us to promote tourism in the State so that people can
see the great potentials of Lagos State,” he said.
Governor Ambode said as much was ongoing on road rehabilitation
and construction, as well as the rail system, the water sector was also
experiencing specific initiatives such as construction of terminals,
channelization, construction of walkways, among others to encourage more people
to key into the sector.
He said: “As people are well aware, we are committed to the
integrated transport management system that we have promised Lagosians. As much
as we are doing on the roads, we have decided that we would face the waterways.
We have just ordered the procurement of seven ferries; we have also invited
people from the private sector to take over terminals and also be able to
procure their own boats and ferries.
“We are so particular about safety; we are so particular about
the future of everyone and that is why we decided also that we would do a lot
on channelization and dredging on waterways to make it motorable. People will
begin to see all these at the end of the first quarter of 2018 and we believe
strongly also that both the government boats and the ones from the private
sector will start to berth the waterways of Lagos and we will use that to
complement what it is that we have on our roads and also use it to complement
the future of what we are trying to plan for the rail system.”
He added that over six million people walk every day on Lagos
roads and that accounted for why walkways were being constructed across the
State, while there are plans to create connectivity between water terminals and
the roads, especially in Badore, Ajah, Mile 2, Badagry, Ikorodu and other
places where there are terminals.
While stating that the maintenance and sustenance of the boats
had been outsourced to specialists to ensure proper usage, Governor Ambode also
invited more private sector stakeholders interested to invest in the waterways
to partner with the State Government, saying his administration is liberal,
transparent and willing to collaborate with interested investors.
In his opening remarks, Commissioner for Waterfront
Infrastructure Development, Engr Adebowale Akinsanya said about thirty
commercial routes on the State waterways have been identified for dredging and
channelization, while ten jetties spread across the State were being
constructed, among other ongoing plans for the sector.
He also said that the Ministry was working in concert with the
Ministry of Justice to enforce relevant laws guiding the waterways to ensure
compliance with safety standards and checkmate any illegal activity by
operators.
Also speaking on safety plans for the waterways, General Manager
of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Tiamiyu Adeshina said
the Jet Skis would be deployed across the State to aid rescue operation in case
of emergency, and also help to fight crime.
“Each of the Jet Skis has the capacity to carry two divers and
the idea behind this is that when an incident occurred on the water, there is a
Jet Ski that will move divers fast to the incident scene while the rescue boats
are coming behind and when they get there, divers are dropping into the waters
and as soon as they rescue people, we put them into the rescue boat and take
them to hospital,” Adeshina said, just as he revealed that training to that
effect was already ongoing.
Also, the Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority
(LASWA), Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, said the commissioning was the beginning of
sustainable development for the waterways, adding that apart from efforts by
the agency to enforce safety standards, the State Government has concluded
plans to license 10 new operators who would provide better ferries.
The Governor also inspected
ongoing projects on the waterways especially at Orange Island and Lekki
Foreshore areas of the State.
